The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
University of Texas
36-14, 9-7
Iowa State
20-31, 1-13
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | Runs R | Hits H | Errors E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 4 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 14 | 14 | 2 |
| Iowa State | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 0 |
Softball blasts five HR’s in 14-3 (5 inn.) win at Iowa State
05.07.2016 | Softball
Lindsey Stephens (two), Celina Felix, Holly Kern and Paige von Sprecken all homered in the victory
AMES, Iowa – Texas softball's bats remained red hot on Saturday afternoon at the Cyclone Sports Complex, as the Longhorns (36-14, 9-7 Big 12 Conference) smashed five HR's, including two off the bat of senior center fielder Lindsey Stephens, and scored in all five innings on the way to a 14-3 (5 inn.) victory over Iowa State (20-31, 1-13 Big 12 Conference).
Stephens' single-game, two-HR effort was the second of her career and came as part of a 2-for-4, three-run, four-RBI performance at the plate. The Beaumont, Texas, native currently leads UT with a .392 batting average, 60 hits, 11 HR's and 41 RBIs this season.
For the second straight game junior third baseman Celina Felix and senior right fielder Holly Kern each hit home runs with the duo combining on back-to-back big flies during Texas' four-run first inning. Felix was 2-for-3 at the dish with two runs scored, two walks, her eighth HR of the year and a pair of RBIs, while Kern blasted her fourth HR as part of a perfect 3-for-3, two-run, walk, double, four-RBI game. Junior first baseman Kelli Hanzel was 1-for-1 with two walks, three runs scored and a RBI on a sacrifice fly, and senior catcher Erin Shireman knocked in a tally while going 2-for-3 with a double.
In the circle, sophomore Paige von Sprecken improved to 11-3 in 2016, allowing three earned runs on five hits with four walks over 5.0 innings. The Yorba Linda, Calif., product also helped her own cause at the plate by going 1-for-3 with a two-run HR.
For the 18th time during the 2016 season, Texas jumped on the opposition right from the start of the contest. Similar to the series opener, the Longhorns utilized the long ball to do the majority of their damage in the opening frame. With Stephens on first after being hit with the initial pitch of the game, Felix smashed a two-run shot to left center. Kern stepped to the dish and made it back-to-back HR's by launching her own towering drive to left to provide UT a quick 3-0 advantage. The lead continued to expand with two outs as Shireman made it 4-0 by following up a Reagan Hathaway infield single with a RBI double to the wall in right center.
Texas continued to pour it on in the second, taking a 6-0 lead as a Hanzel leadoff single was cashed in on Stephens' 10th HR of the season.
A walk by shortstop Nychole Antillon and a bunt single from right fielder Kirsten Caudle got the Cyclones offense in business starting the bottom of the second. Texas' defense made a big play to effectively neutralize the threat, however, as senior second baseman Stephanie Ceo handled a liner and doubled an ISU runner off second for UT's 23rd double play of the season. A foul pop-up was handled down the right field line to conclude a once promising Iowa State inning with no damage.
Stephens soon boosted the lead to 8-0 in the third by hammering her second HR of the contest down the right field line.
Needing life offensively, Iowa State successfully mounted a two-out rally in the bottom of the third against von Sprecken. The Cyclones loaded the bases as left fielder Cathlin Bingham walked, designated player Aly Cappaert singled through the left side and center fielder Kelsey McFarland beat out an infield base knock. Antillon worked the count full before launching a three-run double into the left center gap to cut the ISU deficit to 8-3.
Texas answered right back immediately with a five-run fourth to blow the game back open at 13-3. Kern got the outburst started with a three-run, bases-loaded double to left center, while von Sprecken hammered a two-run HR to left.
With two down in the bottom of the fourth the Cyclones used a Niki Turner double, a fielding error and a walk to load the bases. ISU couldn't get the big hit it needed to cut into the Texas lead, however, as Cappaert bounced out harmlessly to second to leave the trio stranded.
The Horns added one more to its scoreboard total in the top of the fifth as Hanzel lifted a sacrifice fly to center to finalize UT's offensive output at 14 runs.
ISU would get a one-out walk from Antillon in the bottom of the fifth, but that was all as von Sprecken finished off the win by getting third baseman Sally Woolpert to pop-up on the infield.
Team Stats
Pitching:
W: von Sprecken, Paige (11-3)
L: Sanders, Savannah (8-15)
Batting:
2B: Kern, Holly 1 ; Shireman, Erin 1
HR: Stephens, Lindsey 2 ; Felix, Celina 1 ; Kern, Holly 1 ; von Sprecken, Paige 1
RBI: Stephens, Lindsey 4 ; Felix, Celina 2 ; Kern, Holly 4 ; von Sprecken, Paige 2 ; Shireman, Erin 1 ; Hanzel, Kelli 1
SF: Hanzel, Kelli 1
Base Running:
RUNS: Stephens, Lindsey 3 ; Felix, Celina 2 ; Kern, Holly 2 ; von Sprecken, Paige 1 ; Hathaway, Reagan 1 ; Scott, Rachel 1 ; Ceo, Stephanie 1 ; Hanzel, Kelli 3
CS: Ceo, Stephanie 1
HBP: Stephens, Lindsey 1 ; Krpec, Mickenzi 1
Batting:
2B: Antillon, Nychole 1 ; Turner, Niki 1
RBI: Antillon, Nychole 3
Base Running:
RUNS: Bingham, Cathlin 1 ; Cappaert, Aly 1 ; McFarland, Kelsey 1
